Time for another baby update. Crazy that this could be the penultimate update. Given that I’m sitting here at 37 weeks typing this up, there for sure will be one more, but unless I go over my due date this is the second to last. Time still is both flying by and standing still all at once.

The baby’s room is 95% done! The last thing I have to left to do is hang my plan B for color above the crib, after the solar system mobile we ordered didn’t work out. I’m hoping to get that done this week, take some pictures this weekend, and share it next week. I’m loving how it turned out. I’m not exactly a home decor visionary so I wasn’t sure it was going to come together. But it has and I can’t wait to spend time in there with this little guy or girl over the next few years.

The highlights of this last month have been celebrating the baby. It started with my baby shower down in LA where I was able to spend time with all of my Southern California family. And then this past weekend, two of our good friends hosted a brunch for a few close friend couples. It was fun to get in a visit with people we probably won’t see again before the baby is born as well as get Greg in on baby celebrating. Becca and Amanda went all out on the food and decor, but I didn’t take a single picture. Not sure what I was thinking. It was cute and delicious, though made me seriously want a bloody mary!

Due to some changes at work in the last few weeks I’ve been able to cut back my hours. This has been really huge to keeping my sanity. I was exhausted coming home after eight or nine hour days. I’m working more five or six hour days now, depending on my meeting schedule, and it’s really allowing me to get more rest. It’s awesome to be able to sleep until 8am on the days where I’m up from 3:30 – 5:30 for no explainable reason.

The most memorable (and expensive) moments from this last month will probably be my two major pregnancy brain fails.

• First, while sitting in my rental car after my shower in LA, I thought I’d check in and see if there was an earlier departure from Burbank up to Seattle. Something seemed off when I looked at the flight schedule but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. Then it hit me – I had booked myself two SEA -> BUR flights. Alaska doesn’t man the Gold status line on Sundays and I’m thankful for my road warrior husband who was able to call his important-flyer line and get me on the last flight out of Burbank that night (which happened to be two hours earlier than my “flight”). It was the last day of the holiday season and I was worried I was not going to be able to get a flight home. Despite the ridiculous change fee, it ended up working out just fine. I should also note that while returning the car I had to get out the manual to figure out how to open the gas tank and then I tried to return it to the wrong agency. I was on a roll.
• My wallet has vanished. It’s been a week as of Tuesday so we’re finally calling off the hunt. We are 99% sure it hasn’t been stolen because there is no fraudulent activity on any account for which I had a card in my wallet. I’m also really quite sure it’s in the house somewhere. But I’m about to give up and give in. I’d rather cancel everything and reset up all our recurring payments before the baby gets here rather than after. We’ve done this twice in the last 18 months thanks to the Target hack and then our credit card switching from a Visa to a MC. Not thrilled about this but it is what it is.

Physically, I’m actually feeling much better than I was before. I’ve been making the time and effort to exercise four to five times a week and that has made a huge difference. I’m also eating about a thousand times better than I was over the holidays which is what really makes me feel well. I wish I was sleeping better, but I’ll take what I can get. I’ve gained 28 pounds so far and I’m really hoping to keep it to under 30 in total (revised from the original under 25!).

I am having lower back pain/cramping and I get a tightening feeling around the baby on and off that the nurse told me is likely Braxton Hicks contractions, but I have no clue. I’m hoping these are both signs that things are moving along. My midwives will allow me to go to the end of week 41 before inducing at week 42, provided the baby is looking good. While I’m thankful they won’t pressure me for an induction at 39 or 40 weeks like I’ve heard a lot of others being told to do, the thought of being pregnant until March 1st is not something I can even think about. So here’s to hoping that this kid decides he or she wants out sooner!

My clothes are definitely getting less and less comfortable, as you can see from the percentage of weekly photos that are taken in loungewear. I have yet to wear a hoodie or Uggs to work, which I’ve decided is the line I’m not going to cross. But that is basically my evening/weekend uniform.

We finished our birthing, nursing, and baby care class series on Monday evening, so that means we’re totally prepared and qualified to take care of a mini-human, right?!